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GOP RIDING HIGH IN KANSAS: New figures from the Kansas Secretary of State’s office show the ranks of Republicans surging while the number of Democrats has plummeted since 2008. In fact, there are 45,000 fewer registered Democrats in Kansas than there were during the last Presidential election according to the latest numbers. Democrats now make up just a little more than 25 percent of the state’s registered voters. We analyze the shift and its implications.

STUMPING BROWNBACK: The Kansas Governor stumps for Romney in the swing state of Ohio this week. Brownback was on a five city tour of northeastern Ohio campaigning for his former rival. But would anyone in Ohio know who he is? Who’s footing the bill? Is Brownback just anxious to get his name out there in advance of 2016?

BULLSHITSU: Much ado about nothing? Or a new low in the civility of campaigns? Is the latest controversy in Missouri’s U-S Senate race simply distracting voters from the real substantive policy differences that seperate Claire McCaskill from Todd Akin?

IGNORING MISSOURI: During this entire Presidential campaign, Barack Obama has not stepped foot in Missouri once to campaign. And Republican hopeful Mitt Romney stopped over only briefly at KCI to refuel his plane and have catered barbecue delivered to his staffers on board. Not one rally or event featuring Obama or Romney. And neither candidate has run any ads specifically targeting Missouri. If you live in Kansas, you expect this kind of treatment, but Missourians are not used to getting the “cold shoulder” like this. Why?

HARTZLER & HENSLEY: It’s not a law firm. They are the last names of the two major party candidates running for Missouri’s 4th District Congressional seat. The U-S Senate race in Missouri is sucking the oxygen out of coverage of many of the region’s other political races. Before election day we will spotlight those other campaigns. This week, we track the Missouri 4th district seat currently held by Republican Vicky Hartzler who replaced longtime Washington veteran Ike Skelton. Now completing her first term in Congress, Hartzler is running against Cass County prosecutor Theresa Hensley. Dave Helling, writing in the Kansas City Star says this is the most competitive House race in our region this election season. Yet most of us have never heard anything about it.

GRAVES: Why have we not heard anything from Sam Graves this election season? Is the Missouri 6th District Republican Congressman running unopposed this election cycle or is the Akin-McCaskill race simply sucking all the publicity from this campaign?

SPORTING KC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: And finally we leave you with scenes from Livestrong Sporting Park, where Sporting Kansas City defeated Philadelphia this week before a sellout crowd to capture the Eastern Conference title. While metro sports fans lament the fortunes of the Royals and the Chiefs, is this a franchise that is finally doing something right on and off the field?

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